Void
by LucyGirl
Summary: Something causes everyone in Roswell, NM to forget Tess Harding and the havoc she's caused. Everyone but Liz Parker that is... Can she bring things back to reality?
1. Present Past

Liz Parker flung her backpack behind the counter of the Crashdown Café, the alien theme restaurant her parents had owned for as long as she could remember. She was scheduled to work six grueling hours as manager on one of the hottest days of the summer and her first day of summer vacation. 

Things hadn't been the same since the day almost two whole years ago when she'd died. She had been standing in the same spot as she was at this very moment and staring at the very booth she was staring at now. Her best friend, Maria DeLuca was serving customers and Max Evans was secretly watching her from his table. When the shot rang out, Maria was the first to her side. Quickly pushed away by Max Evans, Maria was sent to call an ambulance. Max had risked his life to save Liz. He'd used his alien powers to heal her wound. 

Since then, the two had been nearly inseparable. They'd dated, been friends, dated, been friends, and dated again. Max had recently broken Liz's heart by falling for his evil alien bride, Tess Harding. Only when Kyle Valenti remembered that Tess had killed Alex Whitman, another friend of the group, did Max decide that Tess had to be sent back to their planet. In sending Tess back to their planet, Max was risking the life of their unborn son. Tess had been planning to deliver him, Max, Isabel, and Michael to Khivar, the enemy of Max. 

The café was nearly empty as Liz wiped the counter and checked the cash register. Maria was due in any moment, but Liz wasn't expecting her to be on time, especially now that she and Michael were staying together. Liz went back to her backpack and pulled out her yearbook, flipping directly to the message Max had written her.

Dear Liz,

It's almost the three-year anniversary of us. Since that day (and you know exactly what I mean) I've fallen in love with you. I can't imagine a day where we are apart. When I look into your eyes, I feel at home. Next year is our senior year and another year to spend with each other. I'm sure I'll see you almost everyday over the summer. I love you, Liz Parker, from the very bottom of my heart.

Love,

Max Evans

__

Liz smiled as she ran her fingers over the message. 'Even his grammar is perfect.' Liz thought as she flipped to the next page where Maria, Kyle, Michael and Isabel had written their notes commemorating their junior year at West Roswell High School. She'd already read their messages, leaving Max's to read while she was alone. Maria had mentioned the Czechoslovakians (their old codename for the quartet of aliens) and their best friend Alex Whitman, who was now resting in peace. Liz felt tears sting her eyes as she flipped to page fifty. It had been used as a memorial page for Alex. Liz and Maria had gone through his things, choosing those that had meaning in is life and included them, as well as personal recollections of Alex from his fellow classmates. Liz glanced over the page, reading what she, Maria, Max, Isabel, Kyle, and several others had written about the boy who they had all lovingly elected Class Weirdo. 

The bells above the entrance to the Crashdown jangled as someone entered. Liz glanced up to find Maria. 

"So sorry!" Maria squealed as she shoved past Liz and into the backroom. Liz followed quickly behind. "Michael and I were in the middle of this totally intense…" Maria's mind began to wander as she thought back upon her and Michael's make-out session. 

"Right." Liz laughed as Maria changed into her sea foam green uniform. "I'm sure it was much more important than serving alien-theme food to impatient tourists." She said, handing Maria her alien antennae.

"Remind me why you don't have to wear these things?" Maria asked as she and Liz walked back into the café. One look down at Liz's yearbook lying open on the counter brought tears to Maria's eyes. 

"Oh, Maria." Liz said with a startle. She threw the book into her backpack as the tears began to flow down Maria's now rosy cheeks. "I'm sorry." Liz said, rushing to embrace her best friend. She could feel Maria's body tense up as she pulled back, wiping the tears off her face.

"No, I need to embrace my loss. I need to get through my pain. I must center." Maria said, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Liz smiled as Maria opened her eyes again. "So where's Spaceboy?" She asked, referring to her quick-order chef boyfriend, Michael Guerin.

"Probably running late…perhaps for the same reason as you." Liz smiled, wiping the counter. The bells rang again as Michael entered. 

"Alien meeting. You know how it is." He said, trying to cover up for himself and Maria. The two girls exchanged a smile as he went directly to the kitchen and fired up the grill. 

Liz giggled as Maria followed him, knowing she shouldn't interrupt. One day her father was going to walk in on the couple and then they would be sorry. 'I don't think he'll appreciate them making out on top of his food counters.' She thought, checking the cash register. The café was silent as Liz went about her normal routine cleaning the tables, filling the napkin holders, etc. She finally got a chance to relax and made her way to her and Max's booth, where she reopened her yearbook and went back to reading Alex's memoirs.

Outside a flash of lightning and crack of thunder invaded the hot New Mexico afternoon. Liz took the lightning in stride. Heat rising always caused cracks of thunder and lightning, Roswell definitely had the heat. Several more bolts hit the small town in the next few minutes. Soon, only sunlight lit the small café. Liz stood up slowly and went back to the circuit breaker. None of the circuits were blown. 'Must have hit the Power Company.' Liz thought as she went back into the café to rejoin her yearbook.

The lights fluttered back on as Liz opened her yearbook again. She began flipping toward the center of the book when the bells rang again. 

"Oh. My. God. Liz." Maria said, entering the Crashdown from the street. She was wearing her school clothes again, Liz noticed in confusion. "You'll never believe what Alex just told me!" Maria squealed, sliding across from Liz in the booth. Maria hardly gave Liz a chance to breathe before continuing her story. "We're playing the Red Planet! You know that new club! Can you believe it? The Whits! At Red Planet!" Maria said, her eyes wide with excitement. Liz tried to decipher what she was hearing.

"Maria, are you having like a relapse or something?" She asked, wondering if Alex's death had been too much for the girl to bear. "Alex can't be playing the Red Planet this weekend." She stressed as she heard the bells ring behind her. Liz turned expecting to see Max entering to join her for their nightly study session. Instead her best friend, her dead best friend, Alex Whitman strolled casually toward the booth with a massive smile upon his face. Liz quickly stood up from the seat, backing away from Alex quickly.

"What? Did I forget to put deodorant on this morning?" Alex quipped, sniffing his underarms. Maria giggled. Liz's face went white. "Liz, seriously, what's wrong?" Alex asked, taking a step toward her, Maria joining him.

"You're…" Liz paused to think rationally. Not a rational thought came to mind. "You're playing Red Planet!" She said, forcing a smile to cover her shock. How could she tell her two best friends that one of them was dead, even though the dead one was standing right there? 

Several tourists entered the café, saving Liz from much more confusion. Maria ran to the backroom to change into her uniform as Liz went to seat the party. As Maria went to take the orders Liz went into the backroom and sat on the couch. 

"There must be some logical explanation. Like I was sleeping or something. Or I am sleeping. Because Alex is dead, right?" She thought aloud.

"Liz." She jumped at the sound of Michael's voice from the doorway to the kitchen. "What the hell are you talking about?" He asked, tossing a towel over his shoulder.

Liz stood up quickly. "Michael, have you noticed anything weird about today?" She asked, taking a few steps toward him. "I mean, people suddenly appearing that you thought were gone?" She interrogated Michael.

"Parker, what are you talking about?" Michael shook his head. He and Liz had hardly spoken more than three words to each other.

"Alex." Liz whispered. "Alex was dead ten minutes ago, before the blackout and now he's sitting in a booth drinking a Martian Temple and eating unidentified frying objects." Liz continued to whisper.

"Okay, you've lost it." Michael said. "Alex was never dead and there was no black out." He said turning around to go back into the kitchen. "I think you need to get some sleep."

Liz sighed as she turned back to the couch. "Maybe I will go upstairs and take a nap..." She said, walking up the stairs to her room. 


	2. He's Here

Liz awoke to the sound of her alarm clock. She jumped out of bed and after taking a quick shower, she began to get ready for school. Down the stairs she ran and picked up a blueberry muffin from the tray in front of her father. 

"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" Jeff Parker asked his daughter.

"School, dad. It's a way of life." Liz responded. Mr. Parker's smile widened as he grabbed the muffin from Liz's hand.

"How about summer vacation? I'd say that's a way of life for a good two and a half months." He grinned as he placed the muffin on his own plate. "You're scheduled to work in an hour anyway, so no harm done, right?" Liz groaned as she laughed at herself. "Oh, I didn't want to wake you last night, but Alex called. Said something like 'Tell Liz she and Max have backstage passes to our show Friday night.'"

A lump formed in Liz's throat. "What did you just say?"

"I said, Alex called last night and you have backstage passes to his show on Friday." Her father replied calmly. "Honey, is something wrong?"

"When did he call?" Liz asked, closing her eyes. 'This isn't happening again. I'm hallucinating.' She thought as she waited for her father's reply.

"Last night, while you were sleeping." Mr. Parker said, taking a bite out of his muffin. "He asked me to have to give him a call." 

Liz ran into the backroom and grabbed the car keys. "I'll be right back!" She called as she ran out the back door and toward the family car. Liz pulled out of the alleyway hastily, nearly hitting a trashcan. She drove off toward the Whitman's home. "This can't be right." She said to herself as she pulled in front of the house, noticing that Alex's old chevy was parked in the driveway. Liz ran from her car and knocked on the front door. Mr. Whitman answered with a yawn.

"Liz..." He spoke softly. "What are you doing here so early?" Mr. Whitman asked in confusion.

"Is Alex here?" Mr. Whitman was silent for a few seconds. "Oh, I'm sorry..." She said, hoping his silence meant Alex was no longer around like she remembered.

"No, it's okay. He's probably still sleeping, but you can go to his room." Mr. Whitman said, taking a step to the side to let Liz in. Liz's face dropped as she stepped past him. The last time she'd been in the Whitman home was when she was searching to clues to help her discover how Alex had died. A rush of heartrending memories flooded her mind as she slowly walked toward the bedroom door. She didn't bother knocking, but slid the door open quietly and took a step into the room. Alex was sleeping, pillow over his head, one foot hanging over the edge. Liz couldn't help but smile. She ran to his side and shook him gently. 

"Alex..." She whispered with a huge smile. "Alex, wake up!" She said as he stirred. He squinted his eyes in confusion and sleepiness.

"Liz?" Alex muttered as Liz practically dove on top of him, embracing him in a tight hug. "Liz, what's going on? What happened?" He asked, frantically. With the way things were going in the 'I Know an Alien' Club, he was always ready for bad news.

"You're alive..." Liz could feel tears start to well up in her eyes. She let go of Alex and kneeled on the floor. "I just wanted to make sure you were still here."

Alex's forehead crinkled. "Yup...I'm still here..." He said, smiling slowly. "You didn't get into Maria's oils again and make a bad mix, did you?" He asked mockingly. Liz shook her head slowly. "Well then you're starting to wig me out a little." Alex laughed. "Seriously, what's up?" He asked, thinking that Liz wasn't giving the whole truth.

"Nothing, I just missed talking to you." Liz said. 'Since you aren't alive anymore...' Liz thought. All she could think about was having her best friend back. Since the day she'd found out about Max, Isabel and Michael, nothing surprised her. "You know, since you were in Sweden and everything..."

"Ahhhh...the infamous Sweden trip..." Alex smiled. "Yeah, it was rough not being around my two favorite girls." Alex said, referring to Liz and Maria. "I have more pictures, you know, if you want to see them." He offered.

"Yeah, I'd love to see your pictures." Liz said as Alex pulled out an album and flipped to the first page. 

"Liana..." He pointed to the blond girl. "I believe I've told you about her already." His grin grew two sizes too big. "This is the American Embassy in Stockholm. This is inside a silver mine outside the capital..." Liz wasn't even paying attention to his pictures or words anymore, only to the fact that Alex was home. "Liz?" Alex asked, waving a hand in front of Liz's dazed face. "Hey, Liz it's 10:30 and I'm done going through my pictures." He said, smiling as Liz came back to earth.

"10:30?" She repeated. "I have to go...work, I'm sorry I have to leave so soon..." Liz said with regret, how did she know that Alex would still be around after she got back from work? What if there was another alien time warp and it was about to end? Liz hugged Alex again.

"It's no problem, I'm sure I'll be over to the cafe soon anyway..." He laughed at Liz's concern. "Look, could you tell Maria we're rehearsing later tonight? The guys are totally stressed about this gig so we're tossing in a few extra practices." Alex said as he let Liz out the front door. Liz nodded and went to her car. 

She was absolutely ecstatic. Whatever freaky alien thing was going on right now, Alex was alive and well. Liz couldn't rub the grin from her face as she drove home.


	3. Remembering

Liz parked the car in the alley and went back into the Crashdown. She could see Maria handing Michael an order slip through the kitchen window. "This is the way everything is supposed to be." She said aloud as she pushed through the door to the cafe. Max was sitting at the counter discussing the importance of the fashion channel on basic cable with Isabel. Liz smiled and stood before them. "Hey Max, Isabel." She said, filling their glasses. Max smiled in return. 

"Will you tell Isabel that it isn't essential to have a television channel that shows only fashion runway shows, please?" Max pleaded with Liz.

"I dunno, Max..." Liz smiled. "New York Fashion Week is so far away, yet I can watch it on my Zenith in the comfort of my own home." She said, winking at Isabel.

"Exactly!" Isabel said with a sigh of relief. "Exactly what I was saying!" 

"Girls..." Max muttered, a smile creeping onto his face. "At least I only know one who could whoop my butt with her supernatural powers." 

"Two..." Liz said, halfheartedly. Tess Harding could make anyone believe anything with her mind warp. 

"What did you say?" Max asked.

"I said two. You know two girls who could whoop your butt with her supernatural powers." Liz repeated herself.

"Well, Liz, honey, I don't think Maria's ability to ramble incessantly really counts as a supernatural power..." Max said quietly, hoping Maria wouldn't hear him.

"No...I mean..." Liz paused to laugh. "I mean Tess." 

"Tess?" Max repeated the name. It sounded foreign to him. 

"Yeah, don't you remember your evil alien bride? The mother of your unborn alien child?" Liz prompted him.

Max's face remained blank. 'Could it be another effect of the time warp?' She wondered. "Oh jeez!" Liz forced a laugh. "That was a dream I had!" She giggled, Max gave her a look of concern. "It was just so real!" Liz added nervously, turning to go back into the employee room. Max followed. 

"Don't you just hate when dreams are like that?" Isabel smiled sincerely.

"Liz? What's going on? Who is this Tess?" He asked with conviction. "Did you find something out that you didn't tell me about? She didn't work for Whittaker or something, did she?" 

Liz turned to Max slowly. "Max, Alex isn't dead. I know you'll probably think I'm crazy, but yesterday, when I got home from school he *was* dead. There was a whole spread in the yearbook for his memorial on page 50. He died three weeks ago. Tess killed him. But now he's alive and no one remembers Tess." Liz said, confusing herself with her own words.

"Liz, take a deep breath and sit down." Max said, leading her to the couch. "Now tell me again."

Liz took a deep breath and sat down next to Max. She searched his eyes for any sign that he remembered what she'd just said. When she found nothing but confusion she began to cry. "Alex died three weeks ago. Tess killed him. She was your evil alien bride who was carrying your unborn baby. She used him to decipher that book from your planet. When he found out too much, she killed him. Tess made it look like an accident, but we found out the truth. Just before you, Tess, Isabel and Michael were about to return to your planet, we explained the awful truth. You sent Tess and your child home through the Granolith chamber." Liz paused, hoping she didn't forget anything. "And now Alex is back and no one remembers Tess."

Max took a deep breath. "Liz, it's all just like you said, a dream. A dream that seemed real. Okay?" He paused. "Alex never died and there is no 'Tess'." He said pulling her into a hug. "I know you've gone through a whole lot in the past two years and I'm here for you." Max said, kissing her lightly.

A flash of the solar system reminded Liz of his love for her. "That's it!" Liz exclaimed. "You remember how when you healed me you saw my memories?" She asked him, her mind spinning with ideas. "And then you showed me yours?" Max nodded. "What if you could just see my memories of Tess and Alex's death...and Las Cruces University? Then you'd have to know they were true!" Liz said, taking his hands in hers so he could allow the connection.

"Liz, none of those things happened. Alex was away in Sweden. There is no such girl..." He pleaded with her to realize he was right. When he saw her face was unchanging, he looked into their palms. "Okay." He said quietly. "I'll do it." Max closed his eyes and began probing into Liz's mind. He passed by several events in the past few weeks. Many memories of a petite blond flashed by. Max began to slow down the thoughts. The setting was the pod chamber. Max stood in front of the petite blond. He was gesticulating with grand motions. The girl seemed upset. The next memory was outside the chambers. He, Liz, Maria, Michael and Isabel stood staring out into the horizon. Isabel's voice invaded the memory. 'What happens now, Max?' She asked. 'I have to save my son.'

Max shook his head and opened his eyes. They immediately connected with Liz's own brown eyes. His face was a combination of disbelief and confusion. "But how could this happen?" He asked her.

"Tess could perform mind warps." Liz knew this would need some explaining. "When she sent Alex to the University to translate the alien text she made him and us think that he was in Sweden. Then, when he found out that she'd done this to him, she mind warped him again..." The words caught in Liz's throat. "Killing him. She made Kyle help her get rid of the body by making him think it was suitcases." Liz paused again. "Then she made his death look like a car accident." 

Max's head was lowered in disbelief. "This is unreal." He whispered. "I'm getting these...memories...They're just coming back to me. Of me and Tess...our child...Alex's..." Max paused. "Funeral. I don't know what to do..."

"Well we have to tell Michael and Isabel." Liz began. "We can't tell Alex. I mean, I have no idea what will happen to him once this is all over." She halted briefly. "Maybe we shouldn't tell Maria. It will just kill her if she finds out he's actually dead."

"Right...We have to tell Isabel and Michael. Then we have to figure out why this is all happening. When Tess left, she told me about a deal Nacedo had made with Kivar. She would deliver myself, Isabel and Michael to our enemies..." Max strained to remember. "And our son. My son. Maybe she's doing this so she can complete her side of the deal. To deliver our child, the rightful heir to the throne, to Kivar."

Liz nodded, the whole idea was quite feasible in it's own alien way. "She needed to buy herself some time. So she wiped out all of our memories of herself and her role in Alex's death. It makes perfect sense." Liz said. The more she thought about it, the more logical it all seemed. 

"I have to go tell Isabel and Michael." Max said, standing up quickly and leaving Liz alone in the backroom.


	4. It's Alex

Chapter 4

Liz had been waiting for Max, Isabel and Michael to show up for almost a half-hour. Max had called her around 9:15 that night to tell her they all had to meet. The three aliens would meet her on the roof of the café, a regular gathering place for the pod squad and their companions. Liz glanced at her watch. "Twenty-eight minutes." She said aloud, adding another minute to her pacing tally. She heard footsteps in the alley below. Isabel was the first to climb onto the roof, followed by Max and finally Michael. 

"This is inconceivable." Isabel muttered as Max took a step toward Liz. Isabel and Michael stayed near the edge of the roof, staring at Liz.

"You don't believe us." Liz stated her impression of their body language.

"The whole thing is a little thick." Michael brooded.

"But we're not saying it definitely didn't happen." Isabel replied to Michael's declaration. "If what you're saying is true, we need to get to this Tess and make her change everything back." She said with a bit of caution. "I just don't want to lose Alex." She added quietly. Since their Junior Prom, Isabel and Alex had been trying to get back into a relationship, at least as she remembered it they were.

"Did ya ever think that maybe this Tess brought Alex back and made us all forget her for a good reason? Rather than trying to betray her planet?" Michael snapped at Liz. "Maybe somebody else made us forget because it would be in our best interest. Maybe if we get it changed back it will mean the end of the world. Did you even stop to think that maybe this is how it's supposed to be?" 

Max took a step forward. "Maybe, but maybe not. Maybe Liz is right. Maybe Tess is planning on betraying our planet and me. We don't know which it could be. All I know for sure is that someone who died is suddenly alive again and things aren't right."

"It's like we're living in the Matrix…" Isabel quipped, bringing a smile to Michael's face.

"I can't go on seeing everyone so happy when I know it isn't the truth." Liz explained her side. "What if for a while everything is great, and one day we all wake up and it's back to normal? What if you wake up and you realize that Alex **is** really gone?" Liz asked directly to Isabel, knowing that losing Alex would be one of Isabel's worst fears.

"She's right, you know." Max said looking between his sister and his best friend. "We can't just let everything go on as if these things never happened."

"Then I'm telling Maria." Michael said sternly. "We can't just go change the space-time continuum, or whatever, and make her think everything is just fine. What if we change everything back and she remembers Alex being alive again and everything? I can't lie to her like that." Liz was relieved to see that Michael had enough concern for Maria to want her to be included. Lately Maria had been pretty reliable in the pod squad's cause. Maybe it would be okay for her to know after all.

The ride to the DeLuca house was awkwardly quiet. The four got out of the car and walked silently to the front door. Liz knocked. Maria's footsteps echoed through the hallway as she came to the door. 

"Marrrriiiiaaaaaaa!" Amy DeLuca's voice boomed from a room deeper inside the house. "GET THE DOOR!" 

"Mom, I *got* it!" Maria yelled as she opened the door. Her face went blank as she saw the solemn faces before her. "What, is this an intervention or something?" She said, in a sarcastic tone, to lighten the mood. When no one answered, she replaced her levity with seriousness. "Is something wrong? What happened?"

"Maria, we need to talk." Michael was surprisingly the first to speak. Maria slid the screen door open to let her friends in. "Actually, maybe you should come outside, it's kind of a...thing." Maria nodded and let herself out, leading everyone to the back patio. 

"So what kind of 'thing' is it?" She asked, sitting on top of the picnic table. "Is it an 'alien' thing? A 'crazy teenager' thing? What?" Maria asked, pressing for information.

"It's Tess." Max said, standing up and taking his role as leader. Maria shook her head. "You don't remember her, we know. That's why we're here." Max paused as everyone sat down around Maria. "Tess was...is...and alien. She was here for about a year up until a few weeks ago. She created a blank space, a void, in our minds so we wouldn't remember what she'd done. She then filled it with other memories so she could complete her end of a promise Nacedo had made with Kivar."

Maria was staring at the ground. "So you're saying that you and I, Liz, Michael, Isabel and Alex...nobody remembers this girl." She paused. "So how do you know she ever existed?"

"It's nearly impossible to explain all this, Maria. We're not even positive that this is what really happened..." Max paused. "Liz remembered. For some reason she seems to be the only one who was immune to her power." Max interjected. "That's only part of the reason we're here though Maria..." Max glanced around at his friends. Their eyes had all fallen to the ground, knowing that the news about Alex was next. "It's Alex."


	5. Amazing Grace

****

Chapter 5

"That's absolutely ridiculous." Maria said, shaking her head. "It's…impossible, inane, ludicrous, far too alien for my life right now…" She said, denying everything her four friends had just told her about Alex. How and why Tess had killed Alex, her plan to betray Max, Isabel, Michael, and bizarrely enough, Max's unborn child. "Plus, how can Alex be dead, I just got home from practice with him and the band. He was very much alive! Dead people can't play guitars, you know."

"I know, Maria." Liz agreed. "That's why I was so surprised when he came into the Crashdown earlier. He's gone, Maria." She said, taking her best friend's hand. "Can one of you show her?" Liz asked, looking at Max. Max walked slowly over to Maria. Her eyes were beginning to tear as she forcibly pulled her arm out of Max's gentle touch. "Maria, we know it's hard to believe." She said. Her eyes pleading with Maria's to allow Max to help. Maria relaxed and took Max's hand. 

"Nothing too harsh, please." She requested. Max transmitted images of Tess, of the scene of Alex's accident, and lastly, a somber vision of Maria singing _Amazing Grace _while she and Alex's loved ones said their goodbyes. Max slowly dropped Maria's limp hand and watched the tears stream down her face. "My voice cracked." She attempted a small smile as she opened her eyes to meet her friends. 

Liz pulled Maria into a hug. "We know it's hard to believe, Maria, but it happened. We all have these false memories of the past few weeks, but that is all they are Maria. They're false. Tess created them so she could deliver Max's baby to Kivar."

"What do we do now?" Maria asked, wiping the tears as she began to remember and accept Alex's death. "I know I won't be able to look at his face without breaking down into tears. And I know that won't help the cause much." She said as Michael took her hand and pulled her up off the table and into an embrace.

"We know, but we couldn't go about business without you knowing. We don't know if anyone will remember any of this when it's over. We don't know if Alex will still be here after we get rid of Tess." Michael replied, massaging Maria's shoulders. "All we know is that we have to get a hold of Tess and get her to end this never-ending nightmare. Our big problem is how do we get to her?"

The group was silent for a few seconds. Max and Liz, Maria and Michael were consoling each other, leaving Isabel on the outside. There was still an ache in her heart from watching the scenes of Alex's funeral. Of watching her own reaction to the news of her love's death. Alex had always been one of the only guys Isabel had dated who had actually dated her for her substance, rather than her looks. As teardrops of grief began drifting down her cheeks, Isabel turned and began running away from Maria's house and away from everyone who wanted to destroy the only true love she'd ever known.

*****

Isabel didn't bother going to the front door. She went directly to the first window on the back left side of the Whitman's house. A soft tap on the window brought Alex, yawning, to answer. 

"Isabel…" Alex cried out of surprise. "What are you doing here?" He asked, running his fingers through his hair and straightening out his shirt.

"Can't I come in?" Isabel asked cheerily, to cover the pain she was feeling. Alex held out a hand, Isabel grasped his hand and stepped inside. She kept a hold of his hand as she steadied herself. "Alex…I…" Isabel tried to speak before she began to cry again. She brought her free hand to meet his face, tracing the lines of his features. She brought his face to meet her own and kissed him lightly. Isabel pulled away slowly and pulled him to her, holding him tightly in her arms. "I don't want to lose you again." Isabel whispered as he wrapped his arms around her.

"What do you mean, 'again'?" Alex asked, stepping back to look into Isabel's eyes.

"I mean, sometimes I push people away. I don't realize how quickly someone can be taken from me. Sometimes they're taken away before you get to tell them how you feel, or before you get to spend enough time with the person to feel a sense of satisfaction." She tried to explain. Alex's face showed his confusion.

"I don't…" He began.

"I mean I love you." 


End file.
